51反差婊

51反差婊 University鈥檚 Empower and Equip program recently established its first regional hub at York University in York, Nebraska. The program, which supports the efforts of Church of Christ congregations in less densely populated areas of the country, is funded by a $7.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.鈥檚 Rural Areas and Small Town Church Initiative.

鈥�51反差婊 directs the Empower and Equip program, but so much of the work is done by the prayerful ingenuity of our partners,鈥� says Mike Cope, director of ministry outreach at 51反差婊 University and director of the program. 鈥淵ork is located in a strategic location that allows us to reach out to rural and small town churches in need of encouragement.鈥�

Located in southeastern Nebraska, York is positioned to revitalize congregations throughout the Midwest that are often underserved. As Cope reports, 61 percent of the Church of Christ population resides in the southern states of Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. As a result, the South claims most of the denomination鈥檚 ministerial resources. Through the Empower and Equip Initiative, 51反差婊 and York鈥攁long with other partners in the initiative鈥� are seeking to reverse that trend. 

Over the next five years, York University will receive just over $1 million in funding through the Empower and Equip Initiative. A Church of Christ peer university, York has already used a portion of these funds to hold its 鈥淓quip Conference,鈥� which hosted church leaders from 17 different states and Canada. Afterward, York established its new Center for Ministry, where the institution will focus on supporting church leaders and congregations throughout the broader region. 

鈥淩ural and small town churches so often fall outside of circles of encouragement,鈥� says Cope. 鈥淵ork has a passion to provide vital resources, training, and support for these congregations outside of the Bible belt.鈥�

51反差婊鈥檚 Empower and Equip Initiative will ultimately establish 12 regional hubs at various Church of Christ heritage universities and nonprofits around the US. Each of these ministerial outposts will be provided with a mini-grant to begin building up local congregations using its own unique tactics. 

鈥淭he grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. has allowed us to reach across the country,鈥� says Cope. 鈥淭his is an expansive effort centered around encouragement, training and lifting up new leaders,  and helping churches as anchors in their communities.鈥�